Type-writer-ribbon-actuating mechanism.



No. 718,824. v PATENTED JAN. 2 0, 1903. J. D. DAUGH'ERTY.

TYPE WRITER RIBBON AGTUATING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1901.

No MODEL.

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JAMES DENNY DAUGHERTY, OF KITTANNING, PENNSYLVANIA.

TYPE-WRITER-RlBBON-ACTUATING MECHANISIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,824, dated January 20, 1903. Application filed July 23,1901. Serial No. 69,392. lNo model.)

To al whom zt may concer/'71,:

Beit known that l, JAMES DENNY DAUGH- ERTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kittanning, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-Writer- Ribbon-Actuating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in type-writer-ribbon-actuating mechanisms, and pertains to a construction for use in connection with a visible type-writer of the Underwood type and in which the platen is shifted for the purpose of printing caps.

This invention is particularly designed for use in connection with the Underwood or Daugherty type of visible-Writing machines in which the ribbon is vibrated for the purpose of carrying it in position for printing when a key-lever is depressed and for carrying it out of the printing-line when the keylever is released for the purpose of leaving the printed character Visible and in which class of type writers a vertically shifting platen is used for thev purpose of printing caps.

As is understood by those skilled in this art, the ribbon in the Underwood type-writer is moved vertically a uniform distance whether a small or a capital letter is printed and the ribbon is moved vertically by the shifting of the platen, whereby the ribbon is carried to the printing-point for printing caps.

The object of my present invention is to have the ribbon moved twice the distance when an upper-case character is printed that it moves when a lower-case character is printed, whereby the ribbon is carried to the printing-point by its variation in movement, according to whether a lower or an upper case character is being printed.

It is also well understood by those skilled in this art that in the Underwood type-writer the ribbon-shifting mechanism is moved bodily with the platen, and in this way a uniform vibration of the ribbon for printing both lower and upper case characters serves to carry the ribbon to the printing-point and to carry it away from the printing-point to leave the'printed characters visible. ln my present invention the ribbon-shifting mechanism is not moved vertically with the platen, but

i is so arranged and constructed that when the platen is moved vertically to cause the printing of the upper-case characters a depression of a key-lever will cause the ribbon-vibrating mechanism to move the ribbon twice the distance that it is moved by the depression of the key-lever when the platen is in its normal position for printing lower-case characters.

Carrying in mind the object of my present invention as above explained, one specific form of construction by which the object is carried out is shown in the accompanying drawings, in wl1ich- Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View through an Underwood type-writer, showing my improved ribbon-shifting mechanism attached thereto with the platen in position for printing lower-case characters and the typebars at rest. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing, however, the platen moved vertically for printing upper-case characters and the ribbon-shifting mechanism and type-bars shown in the relation to which they are moved when iu the act of printing an upper-case character. Since the Underwood machine is so Well understood by those skilled in the art, it will only be necessary for me to refer in a general Way to those parts of the machine which are in no wise changed or affected. by my improved ribbon-shifting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, l is the frame of the type-writer, 2 the platen, and 3 a platen supporting and shifting frame, which is pivoted at the point 4 within the frame 1.

5 indicates the type-bars, which are connected through the medium of the connecting-links 6 with the key-levers (the latter not here shown) and by means of which the typebars are thrown to their printing positions.

A shift key-lever 7 serves, through the medium of the intermediate levers 8 and 9, to rock the shifting-frame 3 when moved in the position shown in Fig. 2 for carrying the IOC bar segment 16. This universal frame 10 has a bar 17, located adjacent the pivotal point of the type-bars 5, and is adapted to be engaged by the type-bars when they are carried to their printed position for the purpose of moving the universal frame in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 1.

Thus far I have explained so much of the Underwood machine as seems to me necessary to understand my improvement.

My presentinvention pertains to the manner of supporting and actuating the ribbonshifting lever 20. In my construction this shifting-lever 2O is pivotally supported at its upper end to an arm 21 of the universal frame 10 and at the point 22. The free lower end of the shifting-lever 2O is provided with a slot 23, which engages a pin 24, the said pin 24 being connected to the ribbon guide 25. Formed in the pivotal end of this shiftinglever 20, which is here shown in the form of a gooseneck, is a vertically-arranged slot 26. Situated Within this slot 26 is a pin 27, which is suppoted by a suitable arm 28, projecting from the carriage-supporting bars 29.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When the machine is printingr the lower-case letters, as in Fig. l, the type-bars cause the universal frame lO to move in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 1 and to thereby rock the gooseneck-lever 20 upon the fulerum rod or pin 27, thus throwing its opposite free end up and carrying the ribbon to the printing-point. The pivotal point 22 and the pin 27 are in such a relative relation that the movement of the universal frame 10 serves to move the ribbon the proper distance to carry it to the printing-point for the lowercase letters. Vhen, however, the platen is moved vertically, the fulcrum-pin a7 is correspondingly moved in the slot 26 to the position shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the fulcrum-pin carries it near to the pivotal point 22 ofthe gooseneck-lever 20, whereby when a key-lever is depressed and the typebar carried to the position shown in Fig. 2, which in turn carries the universal frame 10 backward, the free end of the gooseneck-lever is moved twice the distance 'that it is lnoved when the fulcrum-pin 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, and hence serves to carry the ribbon to the printing-point for the upper-case characters. It should be noted, however, that the gooseneck-lever, which actuates the ribbon, is not moved vertically with the platen,` as in the Underwood construction, but merely the fulcrum-point of the lever is shifted by the vertical movementof the platen, which serves to cause a variation in the throw of the ribbon sufficient to carry it to the printing-point for the upper-case characters.

From this description it will be understood that my invention works upon an entirely diierent principle and in an entirely different way from the Underwood construction in that I provide a variable throw for the ribbon, according to whether upper or lowercase characters are being printed. This, however, is not true of the Underwood construction, which moves the ribbon-guide and the gooseneck-lever 2O bodily with the platen, and the ribbon is always moved a uniform distance whether printing upper or lower case characters.

I have here shown and described my preferred form of construction for varying the throw of the ribbon, according to Whether upper or lower case characters are being printed, though I have made no eiort to show and describe the various modifications which might be substituted for that here shown and accomplish the same purpose or function. I do not, therefore, limit myself to the exact construction here shown; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a type-writer the combination with a shifting platen, of a lever pivotally supported at one end, a ribbon-guide engaging the opposite end, and a movable fulcrum controlled by the movement of the platen and engaging said lever at a point between its ends.

2. In a type-writer the combination with a vertically-shifting platen, of a vertically-movable ribbon-guide, a universal frame vibrated by the printing mechanism, a lever having one end pivotally supported by said universal frame and its opposite end engaging said ribbon-guide, a movable fulcrum engaging said lever at a point intermediate its ends, and a platen-shifting mechanism controlling said fulcrum.

In a type-writer the combination with a vertically-shitting platen, of a vibrating universal frame, a ribbon-guide, a lever having one end pivotally connected with said frame and its opposite end engaging said guide, said lever having an intermediate vertically-arranged slot, and a shifting mechanism carrying a fulcrum-pin extending into said slot.

4. A variable ribbon-shift comprising a vibratory ribbon-support, a vibrating member actuatedv by a printing mechanism, a lever operatively connected with said vibrating member, an intermediate movable fulcrum for said lever, and a movable member controlling said fulcrum.

5. A variable ribbon-shift comprising a vibratory ribbon-support, a horizontally-vibrating member actuated by a printing mechanism, a lever pivotallysupported bysaid member and having its free end engaging said guide, a movable fulcrum for said lever, and a movable member controlling said fulcrum.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES DENNY DAUGI-IERTY.

Witnesses:

SAML. DONALDSON, J. F. KEENCE.

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